Established in 1923, the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) is headquartered in Lyon, France, and consists of 190 members. In 1984, when mainland China was admitted to the organization, Taiwan’s membership and rights in Interpol were taken over by mainland China. As a member of the international community, Taiwan is ready and willing to participate in such international security organizations as Interpol, so as to make concrete and substantive contributions to the global fight against terrorism and cross-border crime. Taiwan wishes to participate in and contribute to Interpol as an observer. If Interpol were to invite Taiwan to participate in its meetings, activities, and mechanisms, Taiwan could synchronize its efforts in the aforementioned areas with other member states’ police agencies and jointly combat cross-border crime.

Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering

Established in 1989, the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF) is headquartered in Paris, France, and currently consists of 37 members. The FATF exists to set out measures for combating money laundering, and its Forty Recommendations and Nine Special Recommendations on Terrorist Financing are the agreed-upon international standards for anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism. Although not a member, Taiwan has participated since 2006 in FATF meetings and activities as a member of the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering, which is an associate member of FATF.

The Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering

The Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG) was founded in 1997 and currently has 41 members. The APG Secretariat is located in Australia. APG members and observers are committed to the effective implementation and enforcement of internationally accepted standards against money laundering and the financing of terrorism. Taiwan is a founding member. From 2008 to 2010, Taiwan was the North Asia Representative in the Steering Group, and it also became a member of the Donors and Providers Group in 2010. Since 2011, Taiwan has participated in the APG’s capacity-building program for Pacific Island members and observers.

The Egmont Group

The Egmont Group was founded in 1995 and currently consists of 151 members. The organization’s Secretariat is located in Toronto, Canada. The group acts as a forum wherein members can bolster cooperation in the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism through information exchange, training, and expertise sharing. Taiwan became a member in 1998, and has since participated in EG meetings and activities. Taiwan has also been a sponsor for such EG candidates as Vietnam, Cambodia, and Nepal as part of the Outreach Working Group. In such a role it provided technical assistance and training to officials from candidate countries. Since 2014, Taiwan has also provided funding to the EG to organize training for members’ personnel. Mr. Gilbert Lee, director of the Anti-Money Laundering Division, Taiwan, was elected the EG’s Asia-Pacific Regional Representative in February 2016.

Asset Recovery Interagency Network—Asia/Pacific

With the assistance of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Asset Recovery Interagency Network—Asia/Pacific was founded in November 2013 with its Secretariat in Seoul, Republic of Korea. The aim of ARIN-AP is to have members exchange information and increase judicial efficacy while depriving criminals of their illicit gains. Taiwan is a founding member of ARIN-AP, joining in January 2014.